Flame resistant blends

Abstract

A flame retardant fibre blend comprising: a flame retardant fibre blend comprising: 40% to 60% by weight of a modacrylic; 5% to 25% by weight of a natural cellulosic material; and 20% to 40% by weight of a FR viscose based material; wherein any remaining weight % is made up of any one or a combination of the modacrylic, cellulosic or FR viscose or of nylon in range trace to 7% or para-aramid fibre in the range trace to 7%. The fibre blend is particularly suitable for the manufacture of a ‘universal’ fabric configured to be resistant to flame, flash fire hazard, electric discharge and molten metal hazards.

1 . A flame retardant yarn having a composite structure formed from a collection of fibres twisted together, the fibres comprising a blend of:
 40% to 60% by weight of a modacrylic;   5% to 25% by weight of a naturally occurring cellulosic material; and   20% to 40% by weight of a FR viscose based material.   
     
     
         2 . The yarn as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the modacrylic comprises a copolymer of:
 acrylonitrile; and 
 vinyl chloride and/or vinylidene chloride. 
 
     
     
         3 . The yarn as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the modacrylic comprises:
 30% to 70% by weight of acrylonitrile; and 
 70% to 30% by weight of vinyl chloride and/or vinylidene chloride. 
 
     
     
         4 . The yarn as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the modacrylic comprises vinylidene chloride and antimony oxide. 
     
     
         5 . The yarn as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the antimony oxide comprises antimony trioxide. 
     
     
         6 . The yarn as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the antimony oxide comprises antimony pentoxide. 
     
     
         7 . The yarn as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the naturally occurring cellulosic material comprises any one or a combination of:
 Cotton; 
 Bamboo; 
 Linen; and/or 
 Jute. 
 
     
     
         8 . The yarn as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising nylon. 
     
     
         9 . The yarn as claimed in  claim 8  comprising trace to 7% by weight nylon. 
     
     
         10 . The yarn as claimed in  claim 8  comprising trace to 5% by weight nylon or a para-aramid. 
     
     
         11 . The yarn as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising trace to 5% by weight of an antistatic material. 
     
     
         12 . The yarn as claimed in  claim 1  comprising:
 40% to 55% by weight of the modacrylic; 
 10% to 20% by weight of the naturally occurring cellulosic material; and 
 25% to 35% by weight of the FR viscose based material. 
 
     
     
         13 . The yarn as claimed in  claim 1  comprising:
 45% to 55% by weight of a modacrylic comprising a copolymer of acrylonitrile and a halogen-containing vinyl monomer, the copolymer further comprising antimony pentoxide; 
 10% to 20% by weight of natural cotton; 
 25% to 35% by weight of FR viscose; 
 trace to 7% by weight nylon; and 
 trace to 5% by weight of a carbon based antistatic material. 
 
     
     
         14 . A fabric comprising fibres according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The fabric as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the fabric is woven, knitted or non-woven. 
     
     
         16 . A garment comprising the fabric according to  claim 14 . 
     
     
         17 . A flame retardant fibre blend comprising:
 40% to 60% by weight of a modacrylic;   5% to 25% by weight of a naturally occurring cellulosic material;   20% to 40% by weight of a FR viscose based material; and   5 to 20% by weight of a thermostable fibre that exhibits no appreciable decrease in mechanical strength after exposure to heat or flame in excess of 500° C.   
     
     
         18 . The fibre blend as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the thermostable fibre comprises any one or a combination of:
 meta-aramid; 
 para-aramid; 
 polybenzimidazole; 
 p-phenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO); 
 polysulphonamide (PSA); 
 a polyamide-imide (PAI); 
 melamine; 
 carbon fibre; and/or 
 glass fibre. 
 
     
     
         19 . The fibre blend as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the thermostable fibre is a blend including any one or a combination of:
 5 to 95% by weight of the thermostable fibre being any one or a combination of: 
 
       meta-aramid, para-aramid, polybenzimidazole p-phenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO), polysulphonamide (PSA), a polyamide-imide (PAI), melamine, carbon fibre, and/or glass fibre;
 30 to 70% by weight of the modacrylic; 
 30 to 70% by weight of the FR viscose based material; and 
 5 to 20% by weight of the naturally occurring cellulose material. 
 
     
     
         20 . The fibre blend as claimed in  claim 17  further comprising an antistatic fibre included in the range of trace to 10% by weight. 
     
     
         21 . A yarn or filament formed from the fibre blend according to  claim 17 . 
     
     
         22 . A fabric formed from at least one yarn or filament as claimed in  claim 21 . 
     
     
         23 . The fabric as claimed in  claim 22  comprising a woven, non-woven, knitted or braided construction. 
     
     
         24 . A flame retardant fabric having a composite structure comprising:
 a first yarn forming a majority component of the fabric, the first yarn having a composition comprising:
 40% to 60% by weight of a modacrylic; 
 5% to 25% by weight of a naturally occurring cellulosic material; and 
 20% to 40% by weight of a FR viscose based material; and 
   a second yarn and/or filament type forming a minority component of the fabric, the second yarn and/or filament type comprising a thermostable stable fibre that exhibits no appreciable decrease in mechanical strength after exposure to heat or flame in excess of 500° C.   
     
     
         25 . The fabric as claimed in  claim 24  wherein the thermostable fibre comprises anyone or a combination of:
 meta-aramid; 
 para-aramid; 
 polybenzimidazole; 
 p-phenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO); 
 polysulphonamide (PSA); 
 a polyamide-imide (PAI); 
 melamine; 
 carbon fibre; and/or 
 glass fibre. 
 
     
     
         26 . The fabric as claimed in  claim 24  wherein the thermostable fibre is a blend including any one or a combination of:
 5 to 95% by weight of the thermostable fibre being any one or a combination of: meta-aramid, para-aramid, polybenzimidazole, p-phenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO), polysulphonamide (PSA), a polyamide-imide (PAI), melamine, carbon fibre, and/or glass fibre; 
 30 to 70% by weight of the modacrylic; 
 30 to 70% by weight of the FR viscose based material; and 
 5 to 20% by weight of the naturally occurring cellulose material. 
 
     
     
         27 . The fabric as claimed in  claim 24  further comprising an antistatic fibre included in the range of trace to 10% by weight. 
     
     
         28 . The fabric as claimed in  claim 24  further comprising a woven structure:
 wherein a majority of the warps and wefts of the weave comprise the first yarn type; and 
 wherein the second yarn and/or filament type is interwoven as warps and wefts at spaced apart intervals amongst the warps and wefts formed from the first yarn type. 
 
     
     
         29 . A woven fabric as claimed in  claim 28  wherein the second yarn and/or filament type is interwoven with the first yarn type at a regular spacing in the range of 5 to 15 ends and in the range of 5 to 15 picks. 
     
     
         30 . A woven fabric as claimed in  claim 28  wherein the second yarn and/or filament type is interwoven with the first yarn at a regular spacing in 10 ends and 10 picks. 
     
     
         31 . A garment comprising the fabric according to  claim 15 .